Display apparatus



Jan.. 26, 1937.

P. .1. SANDERS 2,068,933

DI SLAY APPARATUS Filed sept. 28, 1955 4 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1937. P. J. SANDERS DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

M f W ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1937. P. J. SANDERS DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. @In J. SANDERS 'f/fw ATTORNEYS x Jan. 26, 1937. P, 1 SANDERS 2,068,933

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. PAU/ J. JA/vfs ATTORNEYS Patented `an. 2.6, 1937 UNI-TED STATES PATENT GFFICE DISPLAY APPARATUS Paul J. Sanders, Maplewood, N. J.

Application September 28, 1935, Serial No. 42,552

16 Claims.

This invention relates to display apparatus and has particular reference to a display apparatus having means for successively swinging each of a series of display panels into display position, the same being an improvement upon my previous United States Letters Patent, No. 1,960,553 and No. 1,967,843.

The present invention broadly comprehends a display apparatus including a driven flexible support upon which a series of display panels are swingably mounted for movement therewith and improved means moving in timed relation with the support for successively swinging the display panelsk about their respective pivotal connections with said support as the same travel therewith.

The invention more specifically comprises in an apparatus of the indicated character, a rotary arm having improved panel engaging means for successively picking up display panels, elevating the same to an upstanding position and lowering and releasing said panels.

Within the purview of the invention, the panel engaging means includes a pivotal catch which is gravitationally rockable as it is moved with the rotary arm through top dead center to dispose the same in position to lower the display panel and to release the same adjacent the end of its downward movement and which catch is also engageable by means for automatically rocking the same on its pivotal engagement with the rotating arm as it travels therewith through bottom dead center to move the catch from a position upon release of one display panel into position to pick up another display panel and to elevate the same to an upstanding position.

The invention also contemplates in certain of its forms, a pair of rotary arms moving in timed relation with the driven panel support and having panel engaging means arranged on the ends thereof and means for moving the said panel engaging means as they travel with the arms through top dead center and bottom dead center, respectively, to dispose one of said panel engaging means in position to swing a display panel engaged thereby from an upstanding position to a dependent position and in position to release the same and to dispose the other panel engaging means in position to engage with and elevate another display panel to upstanding position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is made to the following specifications and accompanying drawings in which there is illustrated several embodiments of the invention, while the appended claims cover variations and modifications thereof which fall within the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a display apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating one of the panels being elevated and another being lowered.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating one of the display panels in vertical upstanding position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating one of the display panels being lowered and another being elevated.

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the position of parts immediately following the tripping of the lowermost catch and just prior to the picking up of the uppermost right hand display panel.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through a display' apparatus illustrating a modied form of the invention and showing the position of parts just prior to the tripping of the lever for reversing the position of the display panel pick-up fingers.

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the position of parts immediately following the reversal of the fingers.

vention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, I4

designates a housing or cabinet having aligned window openings l5 and I6 in opposite walls thereof for displaying therethrough in either an upstanding or ries of display panels Il.

a depending position a se- The mechanism for moving the display panels includes upper and lower rotary shafts I8 and I9 journaled in bearing bars 20 in opposite side walls of the housing or cabinet and said shafts are provided respectively with longitudinally spaced pairs of sprockets 2|-2I and 22-22 around which are trained endless flexible panel carriers such as the sprocket chains 23-23.

The display panels I l include frames 24 which are removably pivoted to the sprocket chains 23 and are disposed therebetween in longitudinally spaced relation with reference thereto.

As illustrated, the removable pivoting of the frames 24 to the sprocket chains is accomplished by providing the chains with laterally and inwardly directed trunnions 25, the trunnions of one chain being in axial alignment with those of the other and receiving thereover U-shaped bearings 26 closed at the inner ends and open at the outer ends to facilitate their engagement with the trunnions and their disengagement therefrom. In order to preclude lateral spreading of the leads of the sprocket chains and consequent release of the display panel frames, a pair of vertically disposed channel shaped guides 21 are provided within the housing or cabinet I4, the same being supported by webs 28 which eX- tend laterally therefrom to the bearing bars 20 with which they are connected. The marginal anges 29 of the guides 21 extend inwardly towards each other so that the sprocket chains 23 lie wholly within the confines thereof and are covered and protected thereby.

In order to provide means adapted to move in timed relation with the panel supporting sprocket chains 23 for successively swinging the display panels Il' about their respective pivotal connections With the same, as they travel therewith, use is made of a pair of rotary arms 35 each of which is secured at its medial portion to the shaft I8 for rotation therewith. Each arm has pivoted thereto adjacent each outer end thereof on a pivot 3l, a rockable catch 32 and each catch includes a pair of inner and outer plates 33 and 34 lying on opposite sides of the arm and joined together by rivets 35 with spacing washers 36 therebetween located adjacent opposite corners of the catch. In order to limit the rocking motion of the catches, the spacing washers 33 contact respectively with notched portions 31 in the opposite side edges of the arms. The catches are provided with outwardly divergent faces 3S which constitute means for engaging with laterally projecting pins 39 on the panel frames 24 so as to successively pick up the display panels depending from one side of the device and elevate the same to an upstanding position, then lower the same to a depending position on the other side of the device and finally release the panels successively when they reach said depending position on the opposite side of the device.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, the uppermost panel I1 is disposed in an upright position at top dead center and the pin 39 is in a central position between the two outwardly divergent faces 38. As the shaft I3 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrows, the arms 30 turning therewith permit the uppermost catches to be gravitationally rocked with reference to the arms until the rearmost spacing washers 36 contact with the notched edges 31 of the arms thereby arresting further relative rocking motion of these catches so that the leading :faces 38 are in a position to support the display panel and lower the same from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4. Continued rotation of the shaft I8 in this direction lowers the panel to the depending position on the left hand side of the device. After the panel has reached the depending position on the left hand side of the device, the catches 32 have the faces 38 so disposed with reference to the pins 39 that continued rotation of the shaft disengages or releases the catches from the pins 39. In order to trip the catches as they reach bottom dead center so as to rock the same from the release position to the opposite position, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the divergent faces 38 will be disposed in a position to receive the pins 39 of the uppermost depending panel on the opposite or right hand side of the device, fixed trip elements /Il are provided which, as shown, are in the form of laterally projecting webs on the guides 21 and the catches are provided with inwardly divergent arms II which are engaged by the trip elements as the catches move through bottom dead center. The following or rearmost faces 38 engage under the pins 39 and swing the panels upwardly on their pivotal connections with the sprocket chains as the chains move around the uppermost sprockets until the panel is elevated to the upstanding position at top dead center.

While the device has been illustrated and described as operating in a counter-clockwise direction, it is apparent that it may also be operated in the reverse or clockwise direction. Obviously the shaft I8 may be driven by motor or as illustrated by hand and as Shown, a crank handle S2 extends through one side wall of the cabinet and through the bearing bar 29 and is provided with a sprocket d3 while the shaft I8 is provided with a sprocket 44, a sprocket chain d5 being trained around the sprockets 43 and 44. It will be observed that the display panels I1 which are in the depending position and not being acted upon by the catches on the arms 3S are supported at an angle and guided upwardly and downwardly by the engagement of the pins 39 with the flanges 29 of the guides 21.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the means which is adapted to move in timed relation with the panel supporting sprocket chains 23 for successively swinging the display panels I1 about their respective pivotal connections with the same, as they travel therewith, consists of a pair of rotary arms 59 which correspond to the rotary arms 3D, one only, however, being illustrated, in view of the fact that the other is a duplicate thereof. In this form, the arms 5D which are secured at their medial portions to the shaft I3 for rotation therewith are provided with a pair of superimposed straps 5I and 52 which are mounted for guided longitudinal sliding movement with reference to each other and with reference to the arm 50 by pin and slot connections 53 and 54, while the straps are centrally slotted as at 55 to clear the rotary shaft I8. The straps are respectively formed at each opposite end with an outwardly projecting nger, the fingers of one strap being located adjacent opposite side edges of the ends of said strap and the fingers of each strap being located at the opposite side edges of the other strap to provide in combination at each end of the arm 53 notches defined by the pairs of fingers of the two straps. As illustrated, the strap 5I which is located in superimposed relation on the arm 53 has its upper finger 56 in Fig. 6 of the drawings located adjacent the right hand edge of the strap and its lower finger 51 located adjacent the left hand edge of the strap. The other strap 52 has its upper finger 5B located adjacent the left hand edge of the strap and its lower finger 59 located adjacent the right hand edge of the strap. 'Ihe straps are adapted to be moved relatively and with reference to the arm 5D so that the fingers located adjacent one side edge thereof are extended beyond the fingers located adjacent the other side edge of the arm and are adapted to be elevated relatively in timed relation with the movement of the sprocket chains 23 to reverse their position in a manner and by a means which will be hereinafter described. As shown, the means consists of a pair of rock levers E0 and BI aoeaess portions to the shaft I8 for rotation therewithwhich are fulcrumed on the pins 53 and overlie the strap 52. The opposite edges of the levers 50 and 6l are provided with diametrically disposed notches B2 and 63 which engage respectively with pins 64 and 65, the former projecting upwardly from the strap 52 and the latter projecting upwardly from the strap 5| and through slots 66 in the strap 52 to provide a clearance therefor. Obviously, upon swinging movement of the levers 60 in one direction, the straps 5| and 52 will be moved in opposite directions longitudinally and upon swinging movement of the levers Si! and tl in the other direction, the straps will be shifted longitudinally in the other direction to reverse the relative positions of the fingers 55, 5l, 58, and 59. The levers are each provided with bifurcated inner ends, the furcations 6l of which diverge inwardly and are adapted for engagement with a stationary trip $8 which is the equivalent of the trip element flin the previous form of the invention.

In use and operation of this form of the invention, assuming that the arm is being turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, although it is to be understood that the device may turn in either direction, the uppermost display panel IlJ is shown just prior to the time it movesv over top dead center while the lower left hand display panel il is shown just as it reaches its release position and the lower right hand display panel is shown in a position just prior to being moved to a position to be elevated by the arm. In. this position, the nger 56 is engaged behind the laterally projecting pin 39,0f the panel frame to raise the same, while the finger 59 of the strap 52 has just been released from engagement under the laterally projecting pin s@ of the lower left hand display panel il to lower the same to its release position. As shown in Fig. 6, the left hand furcation 61 of the lower lever 5l is just starting to engage the trip As the arm 56 continues to rotate in the counterclockwise directio-n, it will be apparent that the trip will swing both of the levers 6l! and 6i until they assume the position shown in Fig. 7, thereby sliding the strap 5i downwardly and the strap 52 upwardly, thus retracting the fingers 56 and 59 inwardly and projecting the fingers 57 and 58 outwardly so that upon continued movement of rotation of the arm in said direction the nger 58 will be engaged by the laterally projecting pin 39 for lowering the panel Il' which is just passing upper dead center, while the pin 51 will be disposed in a position tc pick up the pin 39 of the lower right hand display panel Il which, due to the upward movement of the right hand lead of the sprocket chain 23, will be brought into a position to be engaged by the nger 51 to elevate the lower right hand display panel Il. The reversal of the position of the levers 38 and 6l thereby disposes the right hand furcation of the upper lever 5E in a position to engage the trip when it moves to the lower position formerly occupied by the lower lever El.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the means which is adapted to move in timed relation with the panel supporting sprocket chains 23 for the purpose of successively swinging the display panels Il about their respective pivotal connections with the chains as they travel therewith, consists of a pair of radial arms l5 which correspond to the radial arms 3i) in the lirst form of the invention, but only one being illustrated in the present form. The arms 'i are secured at their medial and the arms are provided at each of their outer ends with a gripper mechanism for engagement with the laterally projecting pins 39 of the display panels so as to successively pick up the display panels depending from one side of the device, elevate the same to an upstanding position and then lower the same to a depending position on the other side of the device and nally release the panels successively when they reach said depending position on the opposite side of the device.

The pick-up mechanisms each includes a pair of lingers 'H pivotally connected together as at i2 and pivotally connected to links 73 respectively on axes M eccentric to the pivot i2 and on pivots 'l5 at opposite sides of the arm terminal. In order to provide means for moving the fingers towards and away from each other to pick up and release the laterally projecting pins 39 of the display panels, each gripper mechanism has connected therewith at the pivot l2, a rod 'I6 which extends inwardly therefrom and is slidably mounted on the arm. The inner ends of the rods 'I6 are each provided with an angularly disposed terminal 'li constituting a cam follower which is engaged in the cam groove lil of a fixed cam '59. The cam groove is provided with an offset lower portion Si! so that as the panels are lowered to a depending position, at the left side of the device shown in Fig. 8, the rod 'i6 is moved outwardly to effect the opening of the gripper iingcrs 'Il which are held in open position until the gripper mechanism passes lower dead center with the fingers located in a position to close upon and engage with the laterally projecting pins 39 of the uppermost depending display panel il at the right hand side of the device, At this point, the terminals il of the rod move out of the offset portion til of the cam groove 'i8 to draw the rod l5 inwardly for closing the gripper iingers 1I over the laterally projecting pins 3? to pick up said display panel and lift the same, as shown in Fig. 9.

What is claimed is:

1. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable with said support in an arcuate path concentric therewith, a rockable catch pivoted to said arm and having outwardly divergent faces for successively engaging with and swinging said panels from a dependent position on one side to an opstanding position and to a dependent position on the opposite side, and means on said catch engageable with a fixed means for rocking said catch to dispose the same in position to successively pick up the display panels.

2. In a display device, the combination oi a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in timed relation with said conveyor, means carried by said arm gravitationally roclrable as the same is moved with the arm through top dead center to dispose the same in position to lower the display panel engaged by said means and means engageable with said rst mentioned means for rocking the same as it is moved with the arm through bottom dead center to dispose said first mentioned means in position to pick up a display panel.

3. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor,

an arm movable in timed relation with said conveyor, means carried by said arm for successively engaging and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal engagements with said conveyor, and means engageable with said first mentioned means for disposing the first mentioned means in position to lower a panel from an upstanding position to a depending position and to release the same and pick up another display panel as the arm passes through top and bottom dead centers respectively.

4. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in timed relation with said conveyor, a catch pivoted to said arm and having outwardly divergent faces for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor as the conveyor moves around its support and having inwardly divergent faces cngageable with a fixed means for rocking sa1d catch to dispose the same in position to successively pick up the display panels.

5. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in timed relation with said conveyor, a catch pivoted to said arm and having outwardly divergent faces for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor as the conveyor moves around its support and having inwardly divergent facesengageable with a fixed means for rocking sa1d catch as it passes through bottom dead center, to dispose the same in position to successively pick up the display panels.

6. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in an arcuate path in timed relation with said conveyor, a rockable catch pivoted to said arm and having outwardly divergent faces for successively engaging with and swinging said panels from a dependent position on one side to an upstanding position and to a dependent position on the opposite side and having inwardly divergent faces engageable with a xed means for rocking said catch to dispose the same in position to successively pick up the display panels.

7. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in an arcuate path in timed relation with said conveyor, a rockable catch pivoted to said arm and having outwardly divergent faces for successively engaging with and swinging said panels from a dependent position on one side to an upstanding position and to a dependent position on the opposite side and having inwardly divergent faces engageable with a fixed means for rocking said catch as it passes through bottom dead center to dispose the outwardly divergent faces in position to successively pick up the display panels.

8. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in an arcuate path in timed relation with said conveyor, a catch pivoted to said arm and having outwardly divergent faces for successively swinging said panels on their respective pivotal engagement with said conveyor,

said catch being gravitationally rockable on its pivotal engagement with said arm as the same is moved therewith through top dead center to dispose said faces in position to lower and release the display panels and said catch having inwardly divergent faces engageable with a fixed means as the catch is moved with the arm through bottom dead center to dispose the outwardly divergent faces in position to pick up a display panel.

9. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in timed relation with said conveyor, means carried by said arm for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor as the conveyor moves around its support and means engageable with said rst named means for moving said rst named means into position to engage with and pick up a display panel.

l0. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of displ -y panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, an arm movable in timed relation with said conveyor, means carried by said arm for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor as the conveyor moves around its support, and means engageable with a xed means for moving said panel engaging means as it passes through bottom dead center into position tov successively engage with and pick up the display panels.

li. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, a pair of oppositely disposed rotary arms moving in timed relation with the conveyor, means carried by said arms respectively for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor and means engageable with a fixed means for moving said panel engaging means as they travel with the arms through top and bottom dead centers respectively to dispose one of said panel engaging means in position to swing a display panel engaged thereby from an upstanding position to a dependent position and in position to release the same and to dispose the other of said panel engaging means into position to engage with and elevate another display panel to upstanding position.

12. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, a pair of oppositely disposed rotary arms moving in timed relation with the conveyor, means carried by said arms respectively for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor and means engageable with a fixed means for simultaneously moving said panel engaging means as they travel with the arms through top and bottom dead centers respectively to dispose one lof said panel engaging means in position to swing a display panel engaged thereby from an upstanding position to a dependent position and in position to release the same and to dispose the other of said panel engaging means into position to engage with and elevate another display panel to upstanding position.

13. In a display device,the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, a pair of oppositely disposed rotary arms moving in timed relation with the conveyor, means carried by each of said arms for successively engaging with and swinging said panels about their respective pivotal connections with the conveyor, and means engageable with a fixed means for disposing said panel engaging means as they travel through bottom dead center in position to successively pick up and elevate the display panels.

i4. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, a rotary arm medially mounted to move in timed relation with the conveyor, a pair of superimposed straps mounted on said arm for guided longitudinal sliding movement with reference to each other and with reference to the arm, said straps each having an outwardly projecting finger at each of their ends, the fingers of one strap being located at the opposite side edges with reference to the ngers of the other strap, a rock lever pivoted to said arm adjacent each end thereof and having means engageable with said straps to shift the straps in opposite directions upon swinging of said rock levers to position said iingers to successively engage with and swing said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor, and means on said rock levers engageable with a xed means for simultaneously shifting said straps in opposite directions when said rock levers respectively pass through bottom dead center to dispose a finger on one of said straps in position to lower one of said display panels and release the same at the bottom of its downward movement and to dispose one of the ngers on the opposite lever in position to engage with and elevate another display panel.

15. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said con- Veyor, a rotary arm medially mounted to rotate in timed relation with the conveyor, a pair of fingers adjacent the opposite edges of each of the ends ci the arm, one finger of each arm being mounted for relative movement with reference to the opposite iinger of each arm and with reference to the arm, and means operable upon r0- tation of the arm for shifting the iingers to successively pick up and swing said panels about their respective pivotal connections with said conveyor.

16. In a display device, the combination of a conveyor, a rotary support therefor, a plurality of display panels pivotally carried by said conveyor, a rotary arm medially mounted to rotate in timed relation with the conveyor, a fixed cam, a pair of oppositely disposed shiftable rods engaging said cam so as to shift said rods longitudinally of said rotary arm as the arm rotates, a pair of links pivoted to each of the outer ends of the arm, a pair of fingers pivoted to each of the outer ends of the rods, the fingers in each pair being pivoted together at the pivotal connection with the rods respectively and each finger being pivoted to the outer end of one of the links eccentric to the pivotal connection of the finger with the rod so that when the ends of the arm respectively pass through bottom dead center, the iingers of each pair swing outwardly and away from each other and in position to successively engage with and pick up the display panels and elevate the same.

PAUL J SANDERS. 

